Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023 - 22

personas puts the learner at the center
of everything we do, the learner benefits.
Instead of thinking about what content
needs to be taught, we look at the person
to find their emotional connection to the
work and create upskilling experiences
that are in line with the project-based work
they are tasked with.
Business Core
Rather
than
data analysis is a crucial tool to identify
skills individuals need to succeed in the
organization. Data refers to sources such
as learning management systems (LMSs),
learning experience platforms (LXPs) and
other learning data, but also information
outside of L&D, such as engagement
data.
Identifying data sources isn't
enough though; L&D professionals need
to use strategic thinking, problem-solving,
research and data analysis to support
their efforts in this area.
simply
serving
the
business, L&D professionals are now
part of the business. Business acumen
and marketing top the skill list in the
business core category, followed by
change management and creativity and
innovation. When L&D professionals are
asked to build a skilled workforce, they
must understand organizational goals
and strategy, business basics, and speak
the same language as the business. Then
there's innovation: When L&D pros think
outside the andragogical box, they can
position themselves as trusted business
partners; learners reap the benefits of
thoughtful, engaging experiences.
Data and Decision-making
On all fronts, data leads the way. With the
move to skill-based talent management,
When L&D recognizes learning happens
not just in the LMS but rather occurs
constantly on the job, learners benefit
from learning experiences
that
are
dialed into their true needs. Extracting
engagement data from tools and platforms
that employees use every day is the key
to better understanding the impact that
learning initiatives have.
Setting the Mind to Shift
No amount of upskilling will help if L&D
professionals' hearts and minds aren't
ready for this change, and if they're not
ready to push it through to the learning
experiences they produce. Mindsets
must shift from content creation to
enablement of skills, knowledge and
abilities. It is not enough to simply
train on new skills - learning offerings
need to be connected to performance
objectives and business goals.
Additional Resources
There's no need to head to grad school to upskill.
Take advantage of these curated picks:
To upskill on relevant, contextual content:
Need a starting point? Check out Mosher's and
Gottfredson's 5 Moments of Need.
To strengthen the L&D core:
To learn more about human-centered design, head
to IDEO.
To tie L&D to business:
For insight on strategies for successful partnerships
between L&D and the rest of the business, books by
Adam Grant, Brene Brown, or Simon Sinek are
excellent starting points.
To harness data for decision-making:
To learn more about data analytics, head to LinkedIn
Learning for an array of valuable courses.
| 22
Upskilling in a vacuum won't be
successful. Just like L&D professionals
have to expand their skill sets, training
and learning needs to expand beyond
the traditional, order-taker borders that
organizations are used to. In other words,
a workforce transformation goes handin-hand
with a learning transformation.
L&D professionals must focus on the
connection between ongoing reskilling
efforts and actual work. It's about
leveraging data and integrating learning
into the flow of work; it's about identifying
the right moments of learning need and
offering content that's purposeful and
relevant. It's up to L&D professionals to stay
relevant by understanding opportunities
and challenges, new thinking about
upskilling, how to work with HR and
talent management, stakeholder needs,
activating managers, listening to learners
and never stop learning themselves.
Bianca Baumann is vice president of learning
solutions and innovation at Ardent Learning.
Over time, she has developed processes
and methodologies to help organizations
meet their growth and revenue targets
with the help of innovative L&D and talent
management approaches, including digital
transformations, onboarding and reskilling
programs. Email Bianca.
A workforce
transformation
goes hand-in-hand
with a learning
transformation.

https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/creating-learner-personas-for-learning-success/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/measurement-and-analytics/taking-data-driven-decision-making-to-the-next-level-from-analytics-to-action/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/leadership/how-to-curb-employee-resistance-to-change/ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/a-simple-easy-to-understand-guide-to-andragogy/

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023